As medical device technologies continue to evolve, active implanted medical devices have gained increasing popularity in the medical field. For example, one type of implanted medical device includes neurostimulator devices, which include battery-powered or battery-less pulse generators that deliver electrical stimulation to a patient via an implanted lead. Through proper electrical stimulation, the neurostimulator devices can provide pain relief for patients or restore bodily functions.
The electrical stimulation parameters of the pulse generators are typically programmed by a healthcare professional using a clinician programmer device. The programming may include selecting individual electrode contacts on the implanted lead and adjusting the stimulation parameters, such as the shape of the stimulation waveform, amplitude of current in mA (or amplitude of voltage in V), pulse width in microseconds, frequency in Hz, and selecting anodic stimulation or cathodic stimulation. To provide optimal therapeutic effects, the stimulation parameters have to be carefully configured. For example, in the context of spinal cord stimulation, the healthcare professional have to determine the combination of the electrode contacts, their polarity, and the stimulation current amplitude/pulse width/frequency that will provide the best pain relief for the targeted area of the patient's body. In addition to the expertise of the healthcare professional performing the programming, finding the optimal combination of stimulation parameters may involve trial and error processes, which involves the patient's feedback to the applied stimulation. For example, the patient may provide his/her feedback regarding the applied stimulation via a patient feedback device. Based on the patient feedback, the healthcare professional may fine tune the stimulation parameters to improve the stimulation therapy.
However, existing patient feedback devices have not been able to sufficiently communicate to the patient how the stimulation parameters are being varied as a part of the stimulation programming process. In other words, even though the patient understands that one or more stimulation parameters are being varied as a part of a stimulation programming process, he/she may not intuitively perceive the varying of the stimulation parameters. This may adversely impact the accuracy of the feedback the patient provides to the healthcare professional in response to the stimulation. Therefore, although existing stimulation programming has been generally adequate for their intended purposes, they have not been entirely satisfactory in every aspect.